Robertson on the brink of milestone

You’d be wrong if you thought Scott Robertson tallied his Super Rugby scalps like a narcissistic social media fanatic counts their followers.

But for those keeping count, the fourth-year Crusaders head coach is one win shy of reaching a half century, a feat which could be accomplished as soon as tonight when the reigning champions tackle the Chiefs in Hamilton.

Robertson, who replaced Todd Blackadder ahead of the 2017 season, had no idea last weekend’s bonus point win against the Waratahs was win No 49 when queried about it this week.

‘‘No, I didn’t quite get to those stats. I know it’s year four and we’ve been successful but I don’t keep that on the board,’’ he said.

To think the Crusaders hadn’t won the competition in almost a decade when Robertson took his spot in the hot seat of the most successful franchise in Super

Rugby. Scott Robertson

Three titles have followed in as many years, while his eye-popping record reads: 49 wins, three draws (including cancelled match v Highlanders) and five losses.

‘‘The results and that have been great, I really appreciate that. But we talk a lot about the pride that we get that the young men come through and be successful, play for the ABs or achieve great things, like getting their results or qualifications, or marriages and babies and all those sorts of things,’’ Robertson said.

‘‘You get 50 games, but you get a lot more out of it when you live it day to day and connect with a lot of people. They sort of go hand-in-hand.’’

The man who missed out on the All Blacks job to Ian Foster in December is swiftly making up ground on Blackadder (83-3-45 over eight years) and Robbie Deans, who won five titles and amassed a 89-1-29 record in nine years in charge of the Crusaders.

It wasn’t until Deans’ fifth season at the helm that he cracked 50 wins, although admittedly teams then played fewer games a season.

Robertson has also bagged non-competition wins – against the French Barbarians and

Western Force – and oversaw a 12-3 defeat to the British and Irish Lions in 2017.

New Chiefs coach Warren Gatland was in charge of the Lions that cold June night in Christchurch. Now, he’s fresh from kick-starting his tenure with the Hamiltonbased franchise with an impressive win against the Blues in round one. ‘‘Very Gatland like,’’ Robertson said when assessing their first-up performance.

‘‘I think the resilience they showed in a couple of key moments around halftime. He puts a lot of belief in his players and they showed it.

‘‘We know Gatland’s teams, and Chiefs teams previously can show a lot of spontaneity but also lots of resilience. There will be a lot of simple things that they do well, but they will also be creating, it’s just the style of players they’ve got.’’

Since Robertson ruled out All Blacks pivot Richie Mo’unga (groin and knee) on Thursday and replaced him with Swiss Army knife David Havili, the bookies have tightened the odds.

The Crusaders were $1.60 favourites to improve to 2-0 but are now paying $1.80, while the Chiefs have gone from $2.30 outsiders to $2.00.

Fullback Damian McKenzie’s availability, and Aaron Cruden starting at first-five eighth, no doubt also played a part ahead of the first must-watch match of the new season.

‘‘The Chiefs mana style. We love playing them, they’re great games, it’s great for Super Rugby,’’ Robertson said.